Dimming Shadows
Prologue The trees cast tall shadow among the mossy ground. The river that ran through the rocks rippled as two by two cats came swarming on to the island. Most went across on a big fallen tree but to the Splashclan cats the water was okay. Cat started to form a big crowd on the island. The four leaders sat on the branches of a big tree. A black she-cat hushed the crowd below with a flick of her tail and began to speak. "I have some terrible news to bring. Wildflower, our only queen has been murdered by a gang of rogues. Worst of all she left us with kits to care for..." the crowd went dead silent. This kind of news always made them silent. The black she-cat continued. "Her kits are being cared for at the moment, but we will never forget Wildflower, who lived such a short life, and her kits will not be told a lie about their real mother. We will tell them the truth about their brave mother. Well... I guess that's all I have to say, Willowstar, you may come up next." the black she-cat stepped away from the front branch and was replaced with a golden tabby she-cat with white markings. "Thank you Ravenstar. We all dread your loss, but... one of our queens was murdered too! She told us she was going to get some water at the river but she never returned. I sent a patrol out to get her but they found her laying by the water with blood running out of her body. The patrol said that rogue scent was all over her body." The cats below whispered to eachother. "And one of her kits was taken by the rogues. It was Swiftkit. We have been trying to locate her by scent but can't find a trail. Who ever took her was careful to leave no scent trail. But we also have some good news. Heatherkit has become an apprentice! Heatherpaw, please stand up." A young blue grey she-cat stood up among the big crowd. The crowd cheered her name. Then Heatherpaw sat back down and the cheering died away. "Well I'm done here. Adderstar you may bring your news." A dark grey tom stood up on the branch and delivered his news. A queen was killed. Two kits were made apprentices ("Ashpaw! Pebblepaw!"). Then Adderstar sat down and a tabby tom with green eyes took his place. A queen was killed. A kit of that queen was stolen by rogues. Ravenstar interupted, "It looks like the rogues are targeting queens and kits. We must protect them! I say we should hide all of them in the same spot so it'll be difficult for the rouges to find them." Adderstar looked at Ravenstar, "Where would that be?" "We should build a shelter for them until the rogues leave, or we chase them out ourselves." "Sounds good. Are any other leaders with us?" All the leader's nodded. Chapter 1 Echo yawned and blinked open her blue and green eyes. The sun glittered through the over hanging lichen she put over her den for protection from the wind. "Come on Echo! Training has already started!" A small tabby tom stepped in the den. "Oh really?" Echo said sleepily, "How long ago?" "Not long, but I suggest you get up now or Lucifer will have you on dirt duty!" Echo moaned. Lucifer was the head trainer for all the trainees. His punishments were usually long and unsatifying. Echo quickly got up to avoid being late. She brushed the sleep out of her eyes and followed her friend to the training area, a small clearing in the forest surrounded by bushes of different sorts. A pure black cat with shaggy fur and menacing red eyes hissed as she walked in, "You're late for training Echo! I expect you to be early tomorrow then." Echo nodded and took a seat next to a pale ginger she-cat. There were five trainees at the hollow. All were the same age. About four moons. Lucifer bagan to speak, "As you all know, the clans have deprived us of territory and chased us out to make room for their own families. You are being trained to fight back against the clans so we can take back what is ours! Our lesson today will include the basics, such as front-wards paw-swipe and belly-rakes. Now everyone find a partner." That would be difficult, there were onlt five trainees. Echo quickly partnered with Coal, a dusky grey tom. Category:Fanfiction